MAN Controlling the transfer of Man-Portable Air Defence Systems: A guide to best practice PADS CHARACTERISTICS This MANPADS Handbook has been produced by Saferworld, in co-operation with the government of the United Kingdom. It has been compiled with the generous financial support of the governments of Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. It is intended as a practical resource for arms export licensing officers in Wassenaar Arrangement participating states and elsewhere. 1 Characteristics For a full list of Acknowledgements please see the inside back cover. of MANPADS 1 CHARACTERISTICS Characteristics of MANPADS CONTENTS 1.1 General specifications and manufacturers 1.2 MANPADS uses 1.3 Demand for MANPADS and patterns of supply 1 n manpads HANDBOOK · SECTION 1: CHARACTERISTICS 2010 CHARACTERISTICS n Infrared MANPADS are designed to ‘home in’ on a 1.1 heat source of an aircraft. They utilise passive guidance systems (i.e. they do not emit signals thus making them General specifications more difficult to be detected by a targeted aircraft using and manufacturers countermeasure systems). These MANPADS first came CHARACTERISTICS into operation in 1967 with the US Redeye. Since they are relatively easier to operate, infrared MANPADS are seen as the MANPADS of choice for terrorists. There are four What are MANPADS? ‘generations’ of infrared MANPADS, dependent upon their technological advancement, with the later generations Man-Portable Air Defence Systems (MANPADS) are being less susceptible to counter-measures, such as flares. shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles (SAMs). They are Infrared MANPADS are often colloquially referred to as designed to be operated by a single person or a small ‘fire-and-forget’ missiles, with reference to their ease of team of people and are deployed against aerial targets. use. The US’ Redeye and Stinger, the Soviet SA series MANPADS vary in size and capability. They are defined in of MANPADS and the Chinese HN-5 are all examples of the Wassenaar Agreement, Elements for Export Controls infrared MANPADS missiles. of Man Portable Air Defence Systems (agreed at the 2003 Plenary and amended at the 2007 Plenary) as: n Command line-of-sight MANPADS are operated by a ‘gunner’ who visually acquires the target using a a) surface-to-air missile systems designed to be man-portable magnified optical sight and then uses radio controls to and carried and fired by a single individual; and guide the missile to the target. These missiles first went b) other surface-to-air missile systems designed to be into use in 1968. They are less susceptible to standard operated and fired by more than one individual acting as a countermeasure systems than earlier generation infrared crew and portable by several individuals. missiles, but they require highly trained and skilled operators. The UK’s Blowpipe and Javelin are both [This definition (along with the entire Elements) was examples of command line-of-sight missiles. adopted by the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe at its 423rd meeting in 2004.] n Laser beam rider MANPADS use lasers to guide the missiles to the target. They can engage aircraft from all angles and are also more resistant to countermeasures Types of MANPADS than earlier generation infrared missiles. These missiles first came into use in 1975. Examples include Sweden’s RBS-70 There are three general types of MANPADS which can and the UK’s Starstreak. be identified by their guidance system, located in the individual missiles: 2 n MANPADS HANDBOOK · SECTION 1: CHARACTERISTICS 2010 3 n MANPADS HANDBOOK · SECTION 1: CHARACTERISTICS 2010 CHARACTERISTICS Typically, MANPADS are made up of the following COUNTRY DESIGNATIONS components: China HN, QW and FN series n a tube-like launcher; France Mistral n a rocket-propelled missile incorporating some form of CHARACTERISTICS guidance system; Russia/CIS SA Series (both the Strela and Igla systems) n a thermal battery; and n a reloadable gripstock. Sweden RBS-70 [For pictures of MANPADS and their components see United Kingdom Blowpipe, Javelin, Starbust and Starstreak Section 2.] United States Stinger series, and Redeye Complete MANPADS can be disassembled into their component parts for purposes of transportation or storage, and then reassembled, with relative ease. [For a full list of MANPADS producers, including the producers of MANPADS derivatives and their products see Annex I.] Manufacturers The most common types of MANPADS in existence are the Soviet SA-7 and the US’ Stinger, both of which were In the initial years of MANPADS manufacture, only the widely proliferated during the Cold War era. major producers of conventional arms (such as, the US, the UK, Russia and China) were involved in their production. However, in recent years the list of MANPADS producers has grown to over thirty states. Since MANPADS are not 1.2 easy to produce, this growth in producers can be attributed to three main factors: firstly, the manufacture of variants MANPADS uses of original MANPADS models by other countries; secondly, contracted assembly and licensed production deals; and thirdly unauthorised reverse engineering. MANPADS are a threat to slow-moving aircraft – such as helicopters – and to fixed wing aircraft in the landing and The major state manufacturers of MANPADS are: take-off phases. Fast jet aircraft may be less vulnerable as their high speed reduces their engagement windows. Over the past four decades, MANPADS have become an integral part of many states’ military arsenals. However, 4 n MANPADS HANDBOOK · SECTION 1: CHARACTERISTICS 2010 5 n MANPADS HANDBOOK · SECTION 1: CHARACTERISTICS 2010 CHARACTERISTICS the possibility of generating a significant impact with only Although the global, legal, trade in MANPADS is one shot also makes them attractive to terrorists and non- on a lesser scale than that of small arms, individual state actors. consignments of MANPADS tend to be of a far greater value. This is due to much higher unit costs, with MANPADS have been widely available for several decades. individual systems selling for up to $20,000 for more CHARACTERISTICS However, the 2002 attempt by an Al-Qaida-affiliated recent versions. For instance, according to the Small Arms group to down an Israeli civilian airline in Mombasa, Kenya Survey, US exports of Stinger missiles to Greece, Italy and focused international attention on the potential dangers the UK in 2000 was equivalent to the value of France’s posed by MANPADS and the threat that can arise when combined small arms exports and imports for the same they fall into the wrong hands. Prior to the 2002 attack, year. However, an accurate value for the global legal there had been other incidents in which MANPADS were trade in MANPADS is not available, in part, due to limited used in non-combat situations in attempts to down civilian transparency on the part of exporting states. aircrafts, sometimes resulting in loss of life. These included an alleged (unsuccessful) attempt in 2001 by the Basque separatists, ETA, to shoot down a plane carrying the The grey and black markets Spanish Prime Minister. According to the US Government, at least 45 civilian aircraft worldwide have been shot down Unlike other major missile systems which tend to be bulky using MANPADS since 1975. and require significant operational support and expertise, the basic features of MANPADS of being lightweight and easily concealable, also lend them to easy trafficking within the grey and black markets. The situation is not helped 1.3 by the fact that earlier MANPADS models are relatively Demand for MANPADS inexpensive, with some earlier models going for as little as $5,000 each on the black market. As of 2008 it was and patterns of supply estimated that at least 42 non-state groups, including the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and Al-Qaida, have arsenals of MANPADS. Legal ownership and trade Since the 1970s, non-state groups have obtained MANPADS from a variety of sources. Historically, the major Due to the grave risks posed by MANPADS in the wrong source of MANPADS for these groups has been through hands, they should only be stocked by fully accountable covert grey-market transfers from governments. In the and responsible government forces. Small Arms Survey 1980s the US, through its Central Intelligence Agency has estimated that around 105 states stockpile MANPADS, (CIA), provided Stinger missiles to the Afghan Mujahedeen with the more sophisticated models being the most and trained them in their operation during the Afghan war. widely held. 6 n MANPADS HANDBOOK · SECTION 1: CHARACTERISTICS 2010 7 n MANPADS HANDBOOK · SECTION 1: CHARACTERISTICS 2010 CHARACTERISTICS Of the approximately 1000 Stingers supplied, between Another highly publicised incident involving the illicit 200 and 600 are estimated as remaining unaccounted for. transfer of MANPADS concerned the arms shipment from The supply of MANPADS by governments to non-state North Korea seized by Thai officials in December 2009 groups has carried on beyond the Cold-War era. In 1998, which, according to an official Thai Government report, Eritrea was accused of supplying SA-series missiles to contained “five crates of MANPADS SAM[s]”. The report CHARACTERISTICS a Somali warlord and similarly, Iran is alleged to have would appear to confirm North Korea as an illicit source of supplied MANPADS to Hezbollah. shoulder-fired, surface-to-air missiles, however, information on the manufacturer and model of the missiles remains MANPADS also make their way into the black market unavailable. Also in recent years, UN investigators have through poorly secured stockpiles, corruption and losses documented shipments containing dozens of MANPADS on the battlefield. Of the 500,000 to 750,000 MANPADS from Eritrea to Somalia in violation of a long-standing UN believed to be in existence at the moment, it is believed arms embargo. that over 90 per cent of these are contained in government arsenals, leaving up to 75,000 MANPADS unaccounted for.